Next step in 2GP process

Dunedin (Friday, 5 February 2016) – The next step in the process of establishing a new Dunedin City District Plan will be underway when further submissions are called for from 10 February.

In September last year, the Dunedin City Council released the Proposed Second Generation Dunedin City District Plan (2GP), which has a new set of zones and rules about what you can do on your land and how it can be developed.

DCC City Development Manager Dr Anna Johnson says that from 12 noon, Tuesday 9 February a summary of decisions requested from the first submission round will be available on the 2GP website – www.2gp.dunedin.govt.nz – and hard copies will be available in DCC service centres and public libraries. Copies of the full submissions will also be available.

The next phase in the 2GP is the further submission round. This process allows certain people to make a further submission on whether they support or oppose a point raised in a submission. The Resource Management Act limits who can make submissions to:

• any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest
• any person who has an interest in the Plan greater than that of the general public
• the DCC.

Dr Johnson says, "As a courtesy we are writing to people affected by submissions asking for changes to zoning in the rural, rural residential, and residential zones, as we have assessed that they likely qualify as a person who has an interest in the Plan greater than that of the general public." This includes people who:

• own a property that is subject to a submission on the zoning of that property (other than by themselves), and/or
• own a property that is near to a property that has a submission asking for a change of zoning that would provide for a higher intensity of use.

Dr Johnson says DCC is writing to approximately 5300 owners of properties.

"We are not writing to owners of land affected by requested changes of zoning in the industrial and commercial mixed use zones, as due to the breadth of some submissions nearly all of these areas have been subject to a submission asking for changes to the type of zoning. Most of these submissions are from landowners wanting to be able to use their land for a broader range of commercial activities than is provided for in the 2GP, for example general retail in the trade-related retail zones and industrial zones.

“The further submission process provides an opportunity for people who may be affected by an original submission to have their views considered. People do not have to have made an original submission to participate, likewise, if someone has made an original submission they do not need to repeat those submission points as those views will already need to be considered,” Dr Johnson says.

The DCC is required to follow a formal process for the 2GP. That includes rules around the further submission process, such as the submissions having to be in a prescribed form. A copy must also be sent to the person who made the original submission.

Dr Johnson says it is important people get the process right or their further submission might not be able to be considered. More information is available on the 2GP website.

The further submissions period runs from 10 to 26 February. The 2GP drop-in centre will be open weekdays from 10am to 3pm during this time and staff will be available to answer questions and show people how to make a further submission.

Last year’s initial submission period attracted 1050 submissions, including late submissions which still need to be considered by the Hearings Panel. The submissions covered a total of 6081 submission points, including 1407 supporting provisions and 4672 submission points asking for changes (with two not indicating).

Natural hazards provisions attracted the most submission points (771), with 715 asking for changes and 54 in support of provisions.

There were also a large number of submission points asking for a change to the zoning for properties (556), these mainly included several landowners wanting a higher intensity of land use (for example changing the zoning from rural to rural residential or residential) as well as submissions in opposition to zoning in the plan, which provided for a higher intensity of land use than the current operative plan (for example new General Residential 2 areas).

Planning staff have dealt with more than 1200 enquiries since the 2GP was notified on 26 September 2015.

Dr Johnson says the ultimate goal of the 2GP is the sustainable management of Dunedin’s natural and physical resources.

Planning Rules that are now operative

Dr Johnson says planners have reviewed all 2GP submissions to identify rules that did not receive submissions in opposition to them, and, therefore, must be treated as operative in accordance with the Resource Management Act. This information is now available on the 2GP website.

"This review considered submissions against rules in the context of how the plan provisions were related and reliant on each other.

"If a rule was not able to ‘stand-alone’ and be used without the need for related provisions that were not operative due to submissions in opposition, the rule was also considered to be not operative as a consequence."

Dr Johnson says that due to the integrated nature of the District Plan, very few parts of the plan were able to be made operative as relatively ‘standalone’ provisions and these include most provisions related to four of the new major facility zones: Dunedin Botanic Gardens, Edgar Centre, Moana Pool, and Invermay Hercus.

Rules that have ‘legal effect’ from notification of the 2GP still have legal effect, as do objectives and policies. This means both the new 2GP rules and the current District Plan rules apply.

Rules that received submissions in opposition will only have legal effect after hearings are held and decisions released. They will only become operative and replace the current rule, if they are not appealed, or when any appeals are dealt with.

Dr Johnson says hearings are programmed to begin at the end of April and are expected to run for several months.

ENDS

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